It's Not Junk Science
by WriterFreak001
Summary: Post "Postcards from the Edge." It's been a month since Walter returned from the hospital, and Toby's noticed that the atmosphere between 197 and a certain translator has drastically changed from budding romance to awkward encounters and fleeting exchanges. Toby, tired of the parade of elephants marching about the garage... [[more inside]].


**WriterFreak001:**

I came up with this one-shot and really, really, really wanted to write it before the idea slipped into the phantom zone forever.

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 **Title** | It's Not Junk Science

 **Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

 **Description** | Post "Postcards from the Edge." It's been a month since Walter returned from the hospital, and Toby's noticed that the atmosphere between 197 and a certain translator has drastically changed from budding romance to awkward encounters and fleeting exchanges. Toby, tired of the parade of elephants marching about the garage, decides to confront his mentally-inclined friend and try to boost his confidence. How will Walter respond? Find out!

 **Rating** | This fanfiction will be rated T for romantic themes.

 **POV** | Limited Third Person

 **Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_ , I am the owner of this masterpiece.

 **Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

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 **It's Not Junk Science**

 **Written by WriterFreak001**

 **One-Shot**

 **~ S** **CORPION ~**

Toby peered over the top of his old, musty book and secretly spied on two of his friends for the fifth time in the last hour. Walter was at his desk, on his computer (no surprise, there), and Paige was gathering her things to leave for the night. He caught Walter constantly flicking his eyes back and forth from his monitor to the liaison for several minutes; when Paige briefly stopped what she was doing to meet the man's gaze, Walter almost immediately shifted his attention back to his computer as if nothing happened. Paige was clearly disappointed.

It was obvious Walter had feelings for Paige. Whenever she wasn't looking, he was watching her with crazy, strong intensity. Even Toby sometimes got chills with the way his friend ogled at Paige. Walter's stare put the term "goo-goo eyes" to shame. Such focus. Such attention. Such admiration. But every time Paige caught him staring at her, he would clam up, and whatever thoughts were going on in Walter's mind would be replaced with science and mathematics.

Toby didn't need to scope Walter's mind to know how his friend's brain worked. Whenever Walter was uncomfortable with something, he resorted to facts. Toby couldn't blame him, though; Walter was experiencing a new terrain with his newly-established EQ, and the more time 197 spent with Paige (including the awkward moments), the more his EQ surfaced. Unchartered territories and Walter didn't mix; Walter was comfortable with what he knew. Facts kept him in control; they were the building blocks of his brain, and since Paige entered his life, Toby had slowly began to notice the transformation of Walter's behavior.

Paige was a positive light in Walter's life; anybody could see it. The way Walter smiled when he learned of Paige's decision to stay in LA and return to work was proof enough. Toby had a feeling Walter would have smiled just as big as he did while on morphine if he wasn't jacked up with pain killers. Paige just had that effect on him.

While Toby had known Walter longer than Scorpion's liaison, Paige Dineen, Toby had also noticed some changes in the woman's behavior around Walter too. Paige might have been disappointed in Walter's withdrawal, but she wasn't helping the situation either with her quick, timid responses. Before Walter's accident, she wasn't afraid to touch the man. Every once in a while, Paige would place her palm on Walter's shoulder or on the lower part of his arm. He recalled his two love-struck friends holding hands (well, kind of holding hands) when everyone was about to be engulfed in flames, and Toby understood how desperation and fear affected the human psyche, but they wouldn't have held hands at a time in need if they both didn't share mutual feelings for one another. They might have thought they were hiding their moment of inferno intimacy, but Toby had sharp eyes. Since nothing came out of the hand-holding drama, the psychoanalyst kept his observation to himself and continued to survey the budding romance between Walter and Paige from afar.

However, the number of awkward turtles growing between them was just too damn depressing. Paige hardly ever executed any tactile communication with 197 anymore. She often clasped her hands together as if she was purposely avoiding the obvious fact that she wanted to run her hands wildly over the man seated across from her. She constantly bit her lip and almost sputtered as much as Walter did whenever the man was trying to articulate his feelings.

Without the IQ, Paige was practically turning into Walter, and they were both growing more and more socially awkward with one another. Paige was fine around everyone else and around clients; it was just… Walter. Toby was beginning to think something happened when Paige stayed behind that night in the hospital. In fact, she never left Walter's side. Toby had paid an early trip to the hospital the following morning and found Paige sleeping in the chair next to Walter's bed. From what Toby could recall, there wasn't any physical contact between them, but that observation did not dismiss the mystery hours between Walter's trip to La La Land and Toby's early morning arrival. Knowing Paige, something could have _easily_ happened between them, and for all Toby knew, both Walter and Paige might have mutually agreed to keep something a secret.

Now that Toby thought about it, Paige was very flustered when she said she wanted to hang back a bit; her flushed face could have been a result from the eventful day everyone had had, but something told Toby she was all hot and bothered for something involving Mr. Awkward 197 over there.

When he heard Paige's voice, Toby redirected his attention to his book but focused his ears on the woman. "I…, uh…, I'll see you tomorrow." She slung her purse over her shoulder and sauntered towards Walter; the man actually looked up from his computer this time and gave her a quick, forced smile.

"Okay." Walter immediately returned to his computer. _How stoic of him_. Toby gave up on pretending to read his book and shifted his eyes towards the Mr. and Mrs. again.

"Good night," Paige spoke softly; Walter glanced at her again.

He curtly nodded, acknowledging her farewell and mumbled a good night as he returned to his monitor. Toby was tempted to intervene, but he decided to watch everything play out in front of him first. Paige only pursed her lips and stared at the man for a few seconds before briskly walking off towards the door. The snap of Walter's head from his computer to the entrance did not go unnoticed. Walter was tapping his fingers as though he was wanting to do something.

 _Well of course he wants to do something, idiot! He's practically drooling for her!_

When the door slammed shut, Walter's eyes trailed to the empty desk in front of him before returning to his computer again. Toby sighed. This was just too damn sad; Toby needed to do something before the awkward twosome drift apart and become even more socially stunted. Toby slammed his book together and dropped it onto his desk before making his way towards 197.

"All right, Mr. Sour Puss. Out with it." Toby crossed his arms and planted his feet in front of Walter's desk; he wasn't leaving until Walter spat every damn thing out of his mouth.

Walter's eyes met his. "Out with what?"

"You know what," Toby tapped his foot and frowned. Walter grew silent and left his gaze. Toby sighed. "It's been a month since you were released from the hospital…. Why haven't you told Paige yet?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Walter's expression didn't change; it was as though his response had been practiced and perfected.

"Enough with the denial, 197! I gave you some slack these past four weeks because of your little unfortunate encounter with Mother Nature, but no more! Now you either tell me what's going on between you and Paige, or I'll march over to her apartment and interrogate her instead. Which will it be, O'Brien?" Toby was done playing games. He was usually playful when it came to Walter's feelings for Paige, but the last thing Toby wanted was for his friend to see the woman he loved (and yes, Toby believed Walter was fully capable of love) run off with Dead Beat Dad again. It was time for Walter O'Brien to step up his game, and Toby was hell-bent on doing whatever he had to do to motivate his friend to tell Paige how he felt about her.

"Again," Walter was putting his defenses up, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Okay, so let me get this straight. You practically had an emotional meltdown when Paige told you she was moving to Maine. You drove Elia's car off a cliff—"

"That wasn't my fault; as I said before, I had an untimely encounter with Mother Nature." Walter corrected him.

"Doesn't matter. The Ferrari lives no more." Toby deadpanned. "Anyway, after 'an untimely interface with nature,'" Toby air-quoted, "you rolled Elia's car off a cliff, impaled your side, broke your collarbone and incessantly refused to be saved until you spoke to Paige all for…what exactly? Awkward, fleeting moments between you and the very woman you were dying to see a month ago? Am I missing something?"

Walter rolled his eyes. "I'll admit, I had a moment of weakn—"

"Oh no you don't, you emotional dumpster fire! Not this time!" Toby clamped Walter's mouth with his palm. "You listen here, Einstein; the longer you wait to tell Paige how you feel, the further you'll push her away. I know I don't know everything that goes on between you and Miss Dineen, but I'm not stupid, Walt. I know something happened between you and Paige in that hospital; otherwise, the two of you wouldn't be acting like you two walked in on each other naked…," Toby paused and removed his palm from Walter's lips. "You didn't walk in on her naked, did you?"

"What?!" Walter blinked. "No! Of course not!"

"So she walked in on you?"

Walter's face grew red. "Definitely not."

"Then what the hell is going on between you two?" Toby threw his hands up and started pacing the floor. "One moment, all you want to do is talk to Paige; the next, both of you are avoiding each other. I mean, I could understand _you_ hiding inside your IQ cocoon after the overdrive of EQ you experienced last month, but Paige? She's a social butterfly! Her withdrawal is not something I understand, so you're going to have to help me out here, Walt." Toby stopped pacing and looked at his friend. "Since neither of you have seen each other naked, I can only think of one reason as to why you two are acting so estranged with each other."

"A-and what's that?"

Toby had clearly piqued Walter's interest.

"Something romantic happened." Toby deadpanned. "It's the only thing that makes sense." The shrink noticed Walter's sudden defensive stance as he folded his arms in front of him and pursed his lips together; hell, he was hiding his lips! "Aha! Something _did_ happen between you two!"

"I didn't say anything." Walter balked.

"Oh. That's right; you just met me." Toby rolled his eyes. "So what happened?" Walter didn't say a word, but he was now biting his lip. He grew rigid too. His cheeks were scarlet; it was almost too hilarious for Toby to watch with such a serious face. Toby's eyes lit up. "She groped you."

Walter's face contorted, but his rosy-colored cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. "God, no."

"But you wish," Toby mumbled.

"What?"

"What?" Toby blinked and tried again. "Did she…," he noticed how uncomfortable Walter was getting, "kiss you?"

Walter pushed himself away from his desk and marched away from Toby. "This conversation's over."

"So she _did_ kiss you!" Toby exclaimed a little too loudly. "But… you were doped up with morphine… when we left; how would you know if she had kissed you or not? Then again," Toby was almost speaking to himself, "due to your significantly high IQ, it's possible morphine affects you differently; your neurons are packed so densely, I wouldn't be surprised if your brain activity is at least semi-functional even when you're drugged." Toby paused when he saw Walter walking up the stairs. "Hey! I'm not done talking to you, 197!" Toby marched up the steps and followed Walter to the loft. "No matter _how_ you know she kissed you, the fact is, she did, and you're scared shitless. I get it. And her kissing you would also explain the awkward vibe Paige reflects whenever she's around you too. Now it's all coming together." Toby ran past Walter and forced him to stop walking away from him. "So…. did you two at least talk about it?"

Walter's audible gulp gave Toby his answer. "She doesn't know you know, does she?"

"No, and it's going to stay that way; it's better if our relationship remains professional." Walter tried to move around Toby, but the shrink wouldn't budge.

"Hold your horses, Walt!" Toby spread his arms out like an eagle to keep Walter from brushing past him. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm dead serious."

"Why?" Toby pressed.

"It's none of your business." Walter backed away from Toby and circled around the couches, heading for his bedroom. "This conversation is over."

"No it isn't," Toby scrambled to catch up with Walter. "Not by a long shot." Toby knew there was only one way to get a rise out of Walter and send him in the direction he was _supposed_ to go. "You know…, you playing hard to get will only push her back to Drew…."

"That won't happen." Walter refused to believe it.

"Oh yeah? Are you willing to risk everything _again_ to find out?" Toby's words stopped Walter from moving. He had struck a nerve. "Think about it; you give Paige the awkward, cold shoulder, and she interprets it as disinterest. Seventy-five percent of her decision to stay in LA has to deal with her feelings for you, Walter, so if you keep pushing her away, she won't have much to fight for. Ralph is her main priority, and a rift in your relationship with Paige might cause a rift in your bond with Ralph."

Again, Walter said, "That won't happen."

"It just might."

"It won't."

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you."

Toby folded his arms and frowned. "The next time Paige decides to leave LA, she might not change her mind; I'm the gambling expert, Walter, and I'm telling you to grow a damn pair and get your ass to that woman's apartment and tell her how you feel! Drew's in Maine so he's not going to be a problem this time! If Paige leaves again, you have everything to lose." Walter opened his mouth to object. "Don't," Toby barked. "You were willing to risk your life just to talk to Paige a month ago; the risk might not be as high this time, but she's still worth the risk!"

Walter was about to say something when an unexpected voice called from below. Walter froze, but Toby smirked. The heavens were smiling upon Walter tonight! Toby pointed at Walter, "You, stay. I'll leave." Toby practically pranced out of the loft and was tempted to slide down the railing with ecstasy. "Why hello, Miss Dineen!" Toby exclaimed as Ralph ran up to him and gave him a high-five. "Hi, Ralphy-Boy!"

Ralph grinned. "Hi."

"Uh, where's Walter?" Paige's voice was shaky and timid. She certainly had _something_ going on inside her mind; perhaps a plan to finally send Dumbo home? God, Toby sure hoped so; it would be a waste if he returned to work tomorrow to find the Mr. and Mrs. even _more_ estranged. If that happened, Toby was going to find a way to _force_ them to talk things over. It was one thing for them to be shy and skirt around their oh-so-obvious feelings for one another a few days to even a week after 'the moment,' but a month? Ridiculous (and very, very sad)!

"In the loft." Toby shrugged. "Say," He suddenly had a brilliant beyond brilliant idea, "Why don't I take Ralphy-Boy back to my apartment so you and Walter can have a nice long talk. Something tells me you're going to need the entire night tonight." He grinned at his diabolical plan, "Sound good?"

Paige hesitated for a moment, but Ralph silently begged her to let him go with Toby. "All right," Paige bit her bottom lip and then bent down to give her son a hug. "Be good."

"Thanks, Mom!" Ralph beamed as Toby darted to his desk and gathered his things. Once he had everything, he marched over to Ralph and held out his hand.

"All right, big man," Toby grinned as Ralph took his hand, "Let's ditch this joint and do something fun! Like… going to the movies or playing video games! What do you say?!"

"It's a school night," Paige eagerly reminded him. "Lights out by nine."

Toby looked at his watch; it was almost seven. "We still have time for a few rounds of Mario Kart." As Toby led Ralph to the door he turned and smiled at the young mother. "Don't worry Paige; I'll make sure Ralph gets to bed at a decent hour. Hell, I'll even take him to school in the morning."

"Are you sure?" Paige seemed like she was looking for an escape plan, but Toby wasn't going to let the woman off the hook that easily. She and Walter owed it to themselves to talk things through. They needed this as much as Toby needed them to need it. Call him Mr. Obsessive; he didn't care. He only cared that his friends were happy, and to achieve happiness, Mr. 197 and Miss Liaison needed to have time to themselves and just figure things out. Skirting around their 'relationship' wasn't healthy; they needed to find a way to send Dumbo home. The sooner, the better.

"Would I be offering to babysit Ralph if I wasn't?" Toby smiled and gave his friend a little push towards the stairs. "Don't worry; I've got this. Just go and talk to Walter; I can tell you've been wanting to say something to him; tonight could be the only time you'd be able to speak with him without worrying about interruptions." Toby really wasn't sure if he was referring to Scorpion's cases or if he was referring to his fellow misfits. Maybe both. Maybe just himself. He really didn't know. "By the time I walk into the garage tomorrow, you two _better_ have some clue as to where the two of you stand." Paige's cheeks flushed; he smirked. She opened her mouth to say something, but he held his hand up and cut her off. "Don't even go there." He knew _exactly_ what she was going to say, and he wasn't going to have the same kind of conversation he'd had with Walter with Paige. It would be too redundant. "Just trust me, Paige. I know these things."

Without another word, Toby smiled and then gently tugged Ralph out of the garage, leading mini Walter to his Monte Carlo. Once he made sure the boy was strapped in, he took off into the night, anxious as to what the morning might bring.

 **~ SCORPION ~**

Walter had been ceaselessly pacing about his bedroom the moment Toby scrambled down the stairs to greet Paige. Through his open windows, he could hear Toby offering to take Ralph home and encouraging Paige to speak to him. Paige, unlike her usual self (something Walter really hadn't seen in a while), seemed nervous; Walter was tempted to sneak his way over to the balcony and spy on her subtle movements, but every time he tried to move closer to his door, his legs felt heavier by the second. Just the mere thought of Paige coming up to the loft at night – even if it _was_ about seven – alone made Walter's skin tingle.

He had been feeling odd sensations revolving around Paige for a while now, and after her little present the first night he was in the hospital, foreign feelings stirring inside of him only increased whenever he either encountered her or simply thought about her. They were strange and illogical, but Walter couldn't deny the fact that they happen. The rise in his dopamine and serotonin levels were evident that Paige held some sort of power over him. Recently, he had been anxious around her…. Walter was almost never anxious. Anxiety was Sylvester's domain, and yet, lately, Walter O'Brien had been very apprehensive around the very woman who had kissed him several weeks ago.

He still remembered the touch of her lips against his.

While he wasn't in any condition to receive or respond to her kiss, the morphine hadn't fully kicked in yet. He heard her voice, but he couldn't make sense of her words. They were blurred together, but he really didn't care. All he cared about, at the time, was that she and Ralph weren't leaving Scorpion…. They weren't leaving _him_. The last thing he felt before he completely dozed off from the pain meds was her kiss; it was soft and gentle, and for a few seconds, he felt like he was as light as a feather. But when her lips receded from his, the feeling was gone.

And the confidence he had mustered while he was fighting for his life had flown out the window.

For the first time in his life, he actually had a chance at happiness. In his mind, the kiss Paige had given him destroyed all thoughts about him thinking she still had a thing for Drew; the kiss was evidence that she was actually interested in a guy with an IQ of 197 as opposed to a washed-up pretty boy jock. The kiss wasn't the issue; not to Walter, anyway. In fact, if he could relive that moment over and over again, he would. For four weeks, he had been beating around the bush, so to speak, wanting to talk to her about 'the kiss,' but there really was never a good time. Cases were always interrupting, and the fact that a certain shrink kept observing him and Paige didn't make things any easier.

Walter – for reasons unknown to him – wanted Paige to kiss him again. There was no question in his desire; he knew what he wanted. However, as pleasant as the kiss was, the thought of having an actual relationship with Paige frightened him to no end. Toby was right; he was, as the shrink had put it, 'scared shitless.' Walter wanted nothing more than a relationship with Paige Dineen; his trip over the edge made it pretty clear to him how important Paige (and Ralph) were to him. And yet, despite what he wanted, he was scared he would ruin one of the very few good things he had in his life. If he screwed up, a relationship with Paige could have a harmful effect on his bond with Ralph. And yet, Toby, the 'expert,' seemed to think socially distancing himself from Paige would send her away.

Walter sighed. He just couldn't win.

Admiring her from afar was safe and calculable, but what if Toby was right? What if his decision to estrange himself from Paige would ultimately send her back to Drew?

Walter shook his head. That couldn't happen; it _wouldn't_ happen. Too much would be at stake: Ralph's intellectual growth, his social development, Scorpion's connection to normals, Scorpion's professional maturity, Walter's bond with Ralph… the list was endless. Walter depended on Paige in so many regards; she was who made his company thrive. She was the reason Scorpion coalesced; without her… without Ralph… Scorpion wouldn't be the same. _Walter_ wouldn't be the same. Even if his relationship with Paige was to remain professional, he couldn't fathom the future of his company (or his life) without Paige (and Ralph).

Paige following Drew wasn't an option. She had already made the choice to stay in Los Angeles; could Walter really drive her away… again?

Walter groaned and pushed his dark curly hair back as he sat down on the mustard-colored couch and sagged against the cushion. Since when did Walter O'Brien's life become so dependent on a woman? Did Paige Dineen really hold that much power over him? Life was so much easier before his EQ started coming out to play; it was simple and in control. Walter liked control, and he never felt so out of control until Paige came into his life. And yet, he found his lack of control quite soothing… relaxing… welcomed.

It was a strange combination; she made him feel nervous, but at the same time, her presence brought him peace of mind. It was so very confusing, and Walter couldn't understand how one woman – just _one_ woman – could hold so much power over him. It was odd… peculiar… bizarre…; a woman shouldn't have so much control over him. It wasn't logical, but he knew what the facts were. He had always taken comfort in facts, and the fact that his behavior often changed in Paige's presence told him he didn't think of Paige as nothing more than a friend. When he wasn't working on a project, he was thinking of Paige. She graced his dreams, but oh were they daunting.

He wanted nothing more for them to come true, but to what end?

Walter and relationships didn't mix. They never did. Even _if_ Walter wanted a relationship with Paige, he was sure he'd screw something up and push her away forever. Things would be better off if their relationship remained professional.

There was just way too much at stake.

(That was the lie he convinced himself to believe so he wouldn't have to admit just how frightened he was of allowing himself to have something good in his life.)

Walter was pulled out of his thoughts when the door opened. He pretended not to notice as the woman who constantly plagued his thoughts slipped into the loft and glided towards him. She was quiet as she sat down next to him, and he waited for her to speak.

No words came.

They simply sat in silence, and his ears were fixed on her slow breaths. He counted twelve per minute. She drew in forty breaths of air before breaking the uncomfortable reticence between them. "You know, don't you." It wasn't a question.

His eyes briefly found hers. "Know what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Walter," Paige sank backwards and combed her hair with her long, polished fingers; "You're not very good at it."

Walter released the breath he didn't know he was holding and gulped. He scratched the side of his face and glanced at the floor. "Yeah. I know."

"Thought so," Paige nodded and bit her lip. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Walter shrugged. "I don't know…. I guess I figured if I kept quiet about it, things would return to normal." He caught himself twiddling his thumbs in his lap – a habit he picked up sometime recently – and immediately folded his thumbs inward, hoping Paige didn't notice his nervous routine.

"Oh. I see." Paige avoided his gaze as much as he avoided hers. "Is that what you want?"

"W-what?" Walter stammered, snapping his head towards her. It might have been the first time he noticed the dark circles under her eyes. So _she_ wasn't getting any sleep either….

"You heard me."

He paused and observed her features. Paige, if anything, was a beautiful woman; Walter wasn't blind. In spite of the darkened skin under her eyes, she was oddly more attractive than usual; her honey-colored hair framed her face and cascaded past her shoulders in ringlets. Her cheeks were rosy, and her dark pink, plump lips were calling him to attention; he was having difficulty looking anywhere else but found the willpower to direct his attention to the floor.

"I don't know what I want," was the only thing he said.

Paige closed her eyes and exhaled as she pushed her bangs back. "I see…."

In truth? He knew _exactly_ what he wanted, but perhaps it was best to let Paige believe in the lie he had created. "All right, well…," Walter didn't think it was wise for the conversation to continue, "if we're done here," he pushed himself off of the sofa, "I'm going to go work on my rocket."

He didn't even walk two steps before Paige spoke again. "It's funny…. I thought after what happened… on the cliff and… and in the hospital… since you _clearly_ know about… _that_ ," her words forced him to meet her piercing gaze, "we were past all of this."

"Past all of what?" Walter took a step backwards towards her. He didn't sit back down, though.

"Nothing," Paige sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing."

"No. It's something; otherwise, you wouldn't have brought it up." Walter crossed his arms and watched her intently. He suddenly realized that this was their first lengthy conversation since… well since their argument.

Paige shook her head and rose to her feet. "I don't know why I bothered coming here."

Her words stung, and as she spun around, his hand caught hers. The last time she left, bad things happened; he didn't want that to happen again.

Neither one of them said anything for several seconds.

"Don't go." His command was quiet and almost pleading; he was desperate for her to stay….

She didn't turn around. "Then let me in." Her plea intensified the strange feelings he felt in the pit of his stomach. She spun around and squeezed his hand. "Let me in, Walter."

He inhaled a deep breath of air and released it. "I can't."

"Why not?"

He felt like he was being backed into a corner, and he didn't like that feeling. "I don't know how." He released her hand and circled around her. "Perhaps it's best I never learn, too."

For the first time in his life, Walter allowed his fear to consume him as he left Paige in the loft and descended the stairs without another word.

 **~ SCORPION ~**

Paige blinked several times as the man for whom she had fallen briskly walked away from her; she had almost gotten through to him, but something was off about Walter. She knew he was uncomfortable with emotional confrontation, but he seemed… vulnerable… and the longing look he had been giving her told her an entirely different story than the man who had just ran with his tail between his legs. She sighed and left the loft. She wasn't going to give up so easily. She had almost lost Walter once; she wasn't going to lose him again.

She understood his need for social distance; for the past four weeks, she respected his space. During their first interaction after she kissed him, he put up his guard and barely spoke to her. Had his face not turned red in the midst of their first brief conversation, she wouldn't have guessed that he knew about the kiss. The more awkward Walter became with her, the more estranged she felt. Things started becoming awkward for her as well. She wanted so many times to grab him by the tie and kiss him hard on the mouth, but she was afraid of his reaction. She feared a kiss wouldn't be reciprocated – especially after the cold shoulder she sometimes received from him.

Walter was a mystery at times.

Sometimes, it felt as though he was giving off the same kind of vibe she felt, but other times, he seemed uninterested.

She just didn't know with him.

Paige quickly descended the stairs and found Walter by his rocket; he barely stepped onto the stepladder when she called his name and marched up to him. "Let me set something straight," she pulled him off of the ladder and jabbed her finger into his chest, "I do not appreciate being left like an idiot in the midst of a conversation."

"You're not an idiot," Walter folded his arms and frowned.

"That's not my point," Paige mirrored Walter's stance. "Look, I'm only going to say this once so you better give me your undivided attention." She hated fighting with Walter, but sometimes things needed to be said in a certain tone to get a point across. "The only reason I kissed you in the hospital that night was because I had this crazy notion that maybe, just maybe, you felt something too, but I guess I was wrong. Or maybe you just need more time to figure things out. I don't know.

"If you're not interested, I need to know now. I've been burned once before, and I'd rather not invest in a relationship that's only going to bring me heartache in the end. But…," her voice softened as she cautiously hooked her arms around Walter's neck, "if… you _are_ interested… or…" she caught him staring at her as he grew rigid under her soft touch, "if you need some more time to figure things out…, I want you to know that I'm in…, and I'll be patient…, and whenever you're ready to take whatever _this_ is to the next step, we can figure things out together."

Their breaths intermingled in the short space between them, and she had this crazy idea to help convince Walter what she wanted… what she had _always_ wanted. She pushed her weight onto the tips of her toes and brought her face closer to Walter's; he was still frozen from her closeness. Her nose touched his briefly as her palms slithered from his neck to his cheeks; she inched forward with every intention to kiss him, but something compelled Walter to apologize and tear himself from her arms.

In seconds, the magic in the moment was gone.

She wanted to scream, but she held it in and gawked at the man walking away from her. His rejection felt like a smack in the face, but she didn't dare show her pained heart. "Seriously?!"

Walter said nothing; he acted like she wasn't even there.

"So you're just going to walk away?" Paige stormed towards Walter and circled around him, stopping him dead in his tracks. "Just like that?!"

He didn't look at her.

"Fine." Paige couldn't believe she had let another man take control over her life again. She inhaled a deep breath and held back her tears as she started for the door. She stopped and spoke softly. "I'm not going to let you control my life, Walter. If you're not interested in an 'us,' then fine. I'm a big girl; I can handle myself. I'll continue working here for Ralph's sole benefit, but I can't have my head in the clouds anymore. Our relationship will be purely professional, and nothing more. So…," her voice quaked, "if I walk out that door," she inhaled a deep breath, "that's it. There won't be an 'us.' Ever." When Walter didn't say anything, her heart fell and she began walking away. "Goodbye, Walter."

She dragged her feet with each step she took. She prayed he would say something or do something to stop her, but the further she walked away, the more deafening the silence between them became. As much as she wanted to turn around and charge that man like a lovesick madwoman, she knew she had to draw a line somewhere. She couldn't be dragged down by an uninterested man; not again. If Walter wasn't interested, she needed to move on with her personal life.

Her hand touched the handle, and she pulled on it, slowly opening the door.

"Wait," Walter's voice was barely above a whisper, but it spoke in volumes. She froze and waited for him to say something else. Warm fingers curled around her hand and pulled her away from the door. "Stay."

 **~ SCORPION ~**

Walter didn't like the silence she was giving him, and he was uncomfortable with the fact that she wouldn't turn around. "Please say something, Paige."

Paige wheeled around and crossed her arms, tearing her hand away from Walter's. "What do you want me to say, Walter?"

"Anything," he deadpanned. "I didn't like the silence."

Paige closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I've already said what I wanted to say, Walter, and I'm not going to repeat it."

"I know." Walter nodded and pushed his hair back. He inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly before adding, "and…, I, um, I d-do want 'us,' but…."

"But what, Walter?"

He didn't answer.

"Walter?"

Paige was practically giving him another chance to let her in, but he couldn't get the words to form in his mouth. He inhaled a deep breath and tried to stick to facts. "Good things hardly ever happen to guys like me…."

"But they do happen," Paige was clearly trying to put a positive spin on things.

"And when they do, something always screws it up," he ran his hand through his hair and met Paige's brown irises. "I could screw things up."

Paige's stern expression softened into something Walter couldn't read. "So you're afraid to let yourself have something good in the off-chance that you might lose it later?"

Walter closed his eyes and nodded. "Something like that."

"You shouldn't have to deprive yourself of happiness just because you're afraid of what the future might bring, Walter; that's not a fair way to live." Paige placed her palm over his shoulder. "You don't know what the future has in store for you so why not seize the day and take a risk? Some risks are worth taking," she glanced at the floor and then back at him, "especially for those you love."

"Love is imaginary," Walter said almost too quickly. "It doesn't exist."

"Do you really believe that?"

Walter gulped. "I… I don't know." His entire life, he believed romantic love was only a fairy tale; he didn't understand how one person could have such a strong effect on another individual. He recognized familial love and believed – in some sense of the word – love did exist at the most fundamental level, but romantic love? Science claimed romantic love didn't exist – that it was only chemicals responding to particular stimulants. Cause and effect. Love, for the most part, was a nonsensical notion created for normals who didn't understand science. It couldn't have been anything more, but despite what Walter _thought_ he believed, he remembered a conversation he'd had with Cabe a few months ago.

They were staring at the ridiculous board Toby had documented about Walter's strange change in behavior revolving Paige. While Cabe didn't understand the logic behind Toby's observations, Walter did. Toby had literally spelled out the illogical effect Paige had had on Walter's performance using math and science – the two things Walter believed in the most. Cabe said Walter sounded like someone who had never experienced love, and maybe that was true; maybe Walter didn't believe in romantic love because he had never had the chance to truly understand it or observe it.

But twice in one night, Walter had involuntarily pleaded a woman to stay.

He didn't understand why he wanted Paige not to leave, but a voice in his head (which sounded a lot like Toby) told him not to make the same mistake twice. He had let her go once before all hell almost broke loose, and against all rational thought, Walter O'Brien didn't want to lose her again. And yet, fear kept him at arms' length; he was a walking contradiction. He wanted her, but he didn't think a guy like him deserved someone like Paige. He wanted to be different… to open up and let her in, but he was afraid of intimacy. He was afraid his one shot at happiness would fall apart, and if he were to allow himself to – dare he think it – _love_ Paige, he wouldn't know how to handle the fallout if a relationship with her had failed.

Walter almost laughed at himself. He wasn't even in a relationship with her, and he was already condemning it. This woman had a much stronger effect on him than he initially realized. "I don't really know what I believe in anymore."

While math and science were built within his comfort zone, he was starting to see that the world was much more than math and science. With math and science, he was in control, but a month ago, Mother Nature took him for a spin; he was thrown out of his element, and he had started to believe his sister was right: life… was fickle. He couldn't control all of the variables; hell, he couldn't even control the strangeness he felt whenever he was around Paige. He had tried suppressing it multiple times, but it always resurfaced.

The foundation Walter had always stood upon was slowly cracking, and he didn't really know what to do. The feelings he felt around Paige were all very new to him and strange and weird and frightening; Walter O'Brien did not handle frightening very well.

"It's okay to be scared, Walter." Paige suddenly said, bringing him out of his thoughts. He didn't realize how physically close they were until she cupped his cheeks; her breath was laced with his in the small space between them. Her long, slender fingers softly caressed the back of his ears, and he focused on her breathing rate as he grew frigid. The way her fingers tantalized him made it hard for him to function. He had always been uncomfortable with proximity but feeling Paige's soft hands melting against his warm cheeks took his physical responses to an entirely different level. He tried so hard not to think about the carnal stimulations bubbling between them, but her closeness made the art of thinking very, very difficult.

He gulped, unsure how else to respond. "But," she finally spoke as her sweet, mellifluous voice sent Walter to an almost ethereal place where his surroundings blurred around them. Only she existed in his waiflike reality her voice was creating. "You can't let that fear hold you back." She drew him closer; he could barely feel the ground beneath him as her lips softly touched his, much like the way she kissed him in the hospital. "Otherwise," she found his eyes as her fingers weaved into his curly hair, "the fear you feel," she brought her lips to his ear, "will eat you up alive."

"I'm ill-equipped," his dry voice cracked.

"And I'm not?" she laughed lightly with smiles in her eyes. "You, Walter," her palms found his cheeks again, "aren't exactly what I would call a normal guy. You're atypical…, different… unusual…, and you're certainly not someone I ever pictured myself falling for," her words made his heart pound hard against his ribcage, and her sudden bright smile did other crazy things to his insides, "but here we are…." Her thumb thrummed his lips as he felt himself relaxing underneath her touch. "Sometimes it's hard to stimulate your mind, Walter, but I'm willing to do whatever I can to make things work between us…. I _want_ things to work between us." She bit her lip and blinked, "Don't you?"

God, yes. "I don't know if I can give you the kind of relationship you want," Walter avoided her eyes; for the first time in his life, he was ashamed of his emotional deficiency. He couldn't give her what she wanted; he didn't know how. He didn't know if he could process the kind of _love_ she desired from him.

"Walter…," Paige's voice trailed as her thumbs gently rubbed the taut skin under his eyes. She softly ordered him to look at her; he didn't at first, but the second time she spoke his name, he found himself melting into her solemn gaze. She smiled, but her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Do you honestly think I'd be here if I didn't think you'd be able to give me what I want?" With one palm resting against his cheek, she lightly brushed her fingers through his dark curls. "I know you're not like other guys… and maybe… your uniqueness is what attracts me to you; I don't really know, but," the tips of her nails grazed his scalp, and Walter felt like he was in a different world. The effect she had on him was unearthly and irrational, but he couldn't deny the fact that he _enjoyed_ the surreal, dreamlike state she often brought upon him. "I wouldn't be here if _you_ weren't what I want." Walter started to say something, but Paige cut him off. "I love you, Walter," her words caught him off guard, but he kept his opinions on love to himself. "I know you don't really believe in it, but I do…, and it's real for me." She kissed the corner of his mouth and added, "Maybe one day, it'll be real for you too."

He had his doubts in spite of the evidence, but a word he did not anticipate saying slipped from his lips. "Maybe…."

"And until you do," Paige loosened his tie, slid it out from underneath his collar and dropped it to the floor. "Let me have one night to show you what love really means to _me_."

Walter gulped as she latched her fingers behind his neck, silently pleading him to comply. Rational thought told him not to heed her wishes, but another, unknown part of him wanted whatever she was offering – even if it meant shifting the dynamic of their relationship. His answer was out before he could stop himself. "Okay."

And when he saw her smile stretch from ear to ear, he knew he had done something right. She closed the distance between them and kissed him gingerly; he couldn't help but pull her closer (if that was even possible), not wanting to lose the feeling of her soft lips against his. Her fingers lost themselves in his hair, and he enveloped her, kissing her harder as he backed her up against a pillar. He pulled at the hem of her blouse and loosened it from her black skirt, but as he tugged her shirt upward, Paige stopped him, placing her palms over his knuckles. She bit her lip as he stared at her in confusion.

"Not here," Paige whispered, eying the darkened space in the garage. She gave Walter a small smile and pointed towards the stairs. "The loft."

"Okay." Walter pursed his lips as slender fingers curled around his much larger fingers. She slowly led him up the stairs towards his apartment, and he never looked back.

 **~ SCORPION ~**

Hours later, Walter lay in bed and couldn't tear his eyes away from the woman sleeping peacefully in his arms. What they did last night was inconceivable; none of his previous sexual experiences (if they could even be _called_ that) compared to the well-spent night Paige had given him. In the past, sex, for him, was nothing more than an outlet for physical release. There were no emotions or feelings involved. No strings attached. Nothing. Desire wasn't even a factor either.

But…, with Paige…, it was like he was experiencing everything all over again.

And for the first time in his life, he didn't want to sneak out and pretend nothing happened. What astounded him, most of all, was that _she_ was still with him too. His social and somewhat physical awkwardness didn't send her away.

He could still remember the way her soft fingers caressed his skin… how her stringy, honey-colored hair framed their faces as she gazed into his eyes and melted against him… how her tongue felt against his… how she feathered hot, wet kisses from his lips to the small patch of hair just below his navel…. He remembered _everything_.

God, he remembered it all, and he wanted more. More new, carnal experiences with Paige Dineen. After last night, he knew his relationship with Paige could never go back to maintaining a professional distance. Especially after _everything_ they had done together.

Walter's fingers mindlessly combed through Paige's matted hair as she slept soundly with her cheek resting against his chest and her hand interlinked with his. Her long leg curled over his knee, and her toes were slightly dipped underneath the scrunched sheets resting at the foot of the bed. Tufts of his chest hair blew in different directions as soft air left her nose and brushed over his skin.

Eventually, sleep overcame him, and he unconsciously wrapped a protective arm around Paige's bare back, holding her closer to him.

Yeah…, this was _exactly_ where they both belonged.

 **~ SCORPION ~**

As golden light filled Walter's makeshift bedroom, Paige's eyes fluttered open and met the morning with sheer happiness. She had actually made love to Walter O'Brien – a man who incessantly claimed he didn't have any feelings or believed love existed. And despite what that man's opinions were, last night told Paige everything she needed to know about how Walter _really_ thought about love. Sure, his brain might not think love existed, but last night…. God, last night….

A blush crept over her cheeks as she remembered Walter's calloused fingers (from working on his rocket, she guessed) touched her in places she hadn't been touched in years. Surprisingly, as calloused as the pads of his fingers were, they were very gentle and attentive. Very, _very_ attentive.

He gave her almost as much attention as he did his rocket (maybe more).

She didn't expect his fingers to touch her _there_ , but when they did, she certainly didn't complain; for a man who thought he was inexperienced, he certainly seemed to know what he was doing.

She was a very, very satisfied woman; she could literally die happy.

Suddenly, his voice brought her out of her reverie. "Everyone will be arriving in approximately two hours…."

"And?" Paige laughed as she climbed on top of him and cupped his cheeks. "Your point?"

"Do you want Toby to walk in on us?" Walter deadpanned.

Paige finally caught on. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"You think we should keep _this_ a secret?" Paige signaled below, pushing her belly to his.

"For a while, it might be best." Walter mumbled and opened his mouth to add more, but Paige captured him in a heated kiss. Minutes of restless wet kisses passed before Paige pulled away and pressed her lips against his neck. He finally had the willpower to speak again. "The less Toby knows, the less he'll pester."

"But maybe he'll stop bugging us if he knew we were together." Paige crossed her arms and rested them on top of Walter's chest.

"Are we together?" Walter cocked an eyebrow.

"I thought it was obvious," Paige giggled and kissed him again. She lightly smacked his cheek and then slid off of him before starting to look for her clothes.

"Where're you going?" Walter didn't move as she slipped on her underwear.

"Well," she scanned the room for her bra, "if we don't want people to know we slept together, I should probably go home, shower and change clothes. Exclusively in that order." Once she spotted her bra laying on the hideous rug in front of Walter's bed, she bent down and picked it up before latching it over her chest.

"You _could_ take a shower here too, you know." Walter pushed himself forward and watched her as she hopped into her skirt.

"I know," she paused and smiled. She walked over to Walter and gave him a quick kiss, "but then I'd be tempted to drag you in there and have my wicked way with you."

"Like what you did last night?" Walter blinked, and she smirked.

"Last night was only a small taste of what's to come," Paige whispered before pushing away from him. She heard him gulp as she noticed her blouse resting underneath Walter's bed. Once she was completely dressed, she flipped her hair out from underneath the neck of her shirt and sauntered back to Walter's bed. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay, bye." Walter said almost too quickly; she laughed and kissed him.

"You're too funny." She kissed him once more and then forced herself to leave before things got too much out of hand again. "Remember to pretend like nothing happened; Toby's good at reading people so we both need to be rather convincing."

"Don't worry; I'm pretty good at faking emotions." Walter lightly chuckled.

"Oh, I know," Paige grinned and leaned forward, quickly stealing a kiss from him. "I'll be back by nine at the latest."

"Kay."

 **~ SCORPION ~**

Toby practically pranced into the garage, expecting to see clothes strewn about the floor and two very naked friends getting all hot and heavy in the dark corners of the garage, but when he saw Walter at his desk and no Paige in sight, he frowned. "Let me guess, everything got too awkward between you two so she left and went home, and you got zip, zero, nada last night."

Walter glanced at him stoically. "If you must know, we talked and mutually agreed it would be better if things were to remain professional for Ralph's sake."

Toby cocked an eyebrow. "Somehow, I don't buy it."

"Unless you want me to tear up your paycheck," Walter glowered at him, "I suggest you drop the discussion and leave me alone."

"Then again, I stand corrected." Toby rose his hands in defense and backed away from the super genius. He didn't leave, though. "You know…," Toby shoved his hands into his pockets, "if you want some advice…"

"Toby. Drop it." Walter glared at him.

"A little note goes a long way," Toby spoke quickly, capturing Mr. Grumpy Cat's attention. "Are you going to bite me if I keep talking?"

"Will you leave once you've spoken?" Walter crossed his arms and leaned away from the shrink. He was getting defensive.

"Yes."

"Fine. Talk."

Toby slowly approached Walter's desk. "Well…, if the two of you _truly_ decided to keep things platonic for Ralphy-Boy's sake, then the _interest_ is still there, right?"

"Go on."

"So… to make life more interesting and… to keep your slow-burning romance alive," Toby shrugged, "perhaps it might be a nice gesture if you write a little note to her…. You know… something that might make her smile and know you still care for her in spite of your decision. Maybe when Ralph's older," Toby really didn't believe Walter, but he decided to play along with Walter's game and see how everything played out, "you and Paige could start something; who knows, maybe by then, your EQ will have matured exponentially."

"You know what," Walter's frown softened, "writing a note's not a bad idea."

"Really?" Toby blinked. Walter usually _always_ found his ideas terrible. What's with this guy all of a sudden?

"Yeah," Walter nodded as he grabbed a sticky note and scribbled something down. He circled around his desk and stamped the note against Paige's monitor. Toby was about to peer around Paige's desk and read it, but Walter shot a glare at him. "Don't."

"Fine." Toby backed away, hands in the air. "Me no read, see?" He sauntered to his desk and sighed; his ears perked as Paige entered the garage. Her face was as sour as Walter's. Then he noticed the smallest gesture between the pair that convinced him something was off about them. Walter's frown seemed more forced than usual, and Paige… well Paige and frowns didn't mix. He noted the way they looked at each other. While their distinct expressions said one thing, their eyes were telling something completely different…, but Toby was having a hard time figuring it out.

Paige dropped her things and slumped into her chair; Toby watched her as she spotted the note. A warm smile grew on her face…. Toby was skeptic. Her frown turned upside-down way too fast. Walter didn't actually have to _try_ to make her smile. What the hell did he write?!

Suddenly Paige whipped out her phone and sent a text. Toby glanced at Walter; 197's phone buzzed. Toby, at first, thought it was just a coincidence, but he responded to the text, and then Paige's phone went off. The exchange happened for minutes; Walter holding a conversation via texting was very… un-Walter-like. Walter hardly ever responded to his texts unless they required answers. Yet, there he was, texting Paige like no tomorrow.

For two people who decided to play things safe, they were awfully acting weird.

"I'm going to go and get some bagels from Kovelski's," Paige suddenly stood up and grabbed her purse. "Hopefully, I'll be back before Happy and Sylvester get here." As she briskly walked towards the door, Walter shot up from his seat and called out her name.

Strange behavior for _just_ friends.

"I'll assist." Walter scrambled over to her. She flashed a quick smile and whispered a 'thank you.' Normally, Walter would make a comment about how Paige wasn't a waitress anymore, but that certainly wasn't the case. Toby thought Walter was way too quick to leave his seat for accompanying the very woman he supposedly agreed not to pursue.

Toby stared at them as they spoke quietly with one another while they were walking towards the door. As they left, he could have _sworn_ he saw Paige reaching for Walter's hand, but he dismissed it.

He sighed and realized how hungry he was; he sauntered to the kitchen to make some toast when he spotted something on the floor next to Walter's rocket. Curiosity bested him so he slowly walked over to 197's rocket and started laughing.

He stared at Walter's long-forgotten tie for several minutes with a huge smile on his face. "And they thought they could fool _me_."

He suddenly remembered the note Walter had written to Paige and made his way over to the liaison's desk. He read the note aloud. "It's not junk science." Toby scratched his head and read it again and again and again.

"I don't get it." He shrugged and then walked back to his desk, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

 **~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

 **WriterFreak001:**

Yeah… I had not anticipated this would be so long! 21 pages! 21 freaking pages! Anyway, this took me three days to write out so that's why there hasn't been an update for _Poaching_.

Anyway, let me know what you think! :D


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